Pillars or columns



Aug. 4, 1959 P. c. LINDMAN PILLARS OR COLUMNS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 11, 1953 INVENTOR Philip 6. Lindman ATTORNEY Aug. 4, 1959 FiledSept. 11. 1953 P. C. LINDMAN PILLARS OR COLUMNS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 10

INVENTOR Philip C. Lindman BY M ATTORNEY United States Patent PILLARS ORCOLUlVINS Philip C. Lindman, Dallas County, Tex., assignor to DallasIron and Wire Works, Inc., Dallas, Tex., a corporation of TexasApplication September 11, 1953, Serial No. 379,499

3 Claims. (Cl. 189-38) This invention relates to pillars or columns.

One object of the invention is to provide a new and improved pillar orcohunn for buildings and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved pillaror column having tubular standards, and which is decorative.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedpillar or column, of the type described, having means for firmlysecuring and bracing the lower ends of the tubular standards.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedpillar or column having a bracing frame for firmly securing the lowerend of the pillar to a fixed structure such as a floor slab.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedpillar or column, of the type described, having a bracing frame which isparticularly adapted to have decorative or ornamental members securedthereto and to form a part thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a prefabricated pillar orcolumn which may be easily assembled at the site of installation.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent from the reading of the following description of devicesconstructed in accordance with the invention and reference to theaccompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pillar or column constructed inaccordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the pillarshown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of one of the bracing plates of the bracingframe of the pillars shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figures 4 and 5 are side views of modified forms of the pillar shown inFigures 1, 2 and 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of another modified form ofthe pillar having two tubular members or standards;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a further modified form ofthe pillar having three tubular standards;

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view showing a bracing plate for apillar having four tubular standards;

Figure 9 is a side view of a cap for the tops of the tubular standards;and,

Figure 10 is a bottom view of the cap shown in Figure 9.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10 of the drawing,the reference numeral designates a pillar or coltunn having a tubularstandard 21, which may be employed to support a roof or otheroverhanging structure. The upper end of the pillar may be inserted in acap 22 having outwardly extending opposed lugs 23 having notches 24through which screws or bolts (not shown) may extend to rigidly securethe cap to the roof or other overhanging structure. The cap has anannulus 25 which telescopes over the upper end portion of the icestandard and an internal flange 26 which abuts the upper end of thestandard.

The lower end of the standard should be rigidly se cured to a floor slab27 or other fixed structure. Moreover, it is desirable that the standardbe braced intermediate its ends against lateral movement, sinceconnection of only the upper and lower ends of the tubular standard tothe fixed structure may not result in an adequately strong pillar orcolumn structure. It is also frequently desirable that the column shouldbe decorative or ornamental, as well as reinforced.

The lower end of the tubular standard 21 is secured to the floor slab 27by a bracing frame 28 which includes upper and lower bracing plates 29and 30, respectively, which are of identical construction. Each bracingplate has a horizontal portion 31 provided with a central boss 32 and aperipheral dependent flange 33. The horizontal portion 31 of eachbracing plate is provided with a central aperture 34 which extendsthrough the boss 32.

The tubular standard is adapted to extend through the aperture 34, andit will be seen that the sides of the aperture fit very snugly againstthe standard to limit pivotal movement of the standard relative to theplates. The bosses 32 serve to provide a maximum area of contact betweenthe standards and the bracing plates and also serve to reinforce orstrengthen the bracing plates. In addition, as will hereinafter beexplained, the bosses also provide means for holding scrolls or otherdecorative members, in place between pairs of plates and preventsrotative movement of such decorative members. It will also be apparentthat the lower end of the standard rests upon the floor slab 27 and thatthe lower bracing plate engages or abuts it at a level above the lowerend.

The horizontal portions are also provided with apertures 35 at the fourcorners thereof through which bolts or screws 36 may be inserted toengage in threaded bores in the upper and lower ends of four cornerposts 37 to rigidly secure the corner posts 37 to the bracing plates. Itwill be seen that the corner posts 37 extend between the upper and lowerbracing posts, their lower ends resting on the lower bracing plate andtheir upper ends supporting the upper bracing plate.

The bracing plates are also provided with apertures 38 at each side.Bolts 39 extend through the apertures 38 of the upper bracing plate torigidly secure ornamental members, such as the scrolls 40, above and tothe upper bracing plate and also to secure to the upper bracing platethe upper ends of elongate ornamental members 41, which extend betweenthe upper and lower bracing plates between adjacent corner posts 37. Themembers 41 may, of course, be scrolls or castings, and it will be notedthat the edges of the boss on the upper surface of the lower bracingplate engage the sides of the lower end of the ornamental member toprevent rotative movement of the ornamental member, while the dependingflange 33 of the upper bracing plate likewise prevents rotative movementof the upper end of the decorative member.

Anchor bolts or screws 42 rigidly secured in the floor slab 27, or otherfixed structure, extend upwardly through the apertures 38 of the lowerbracing plate and through suitable apertures in the lower ends of theornamental members 41 so that the lower ends of the ornamental membersmay be rigidly secured to the lower bracing plate, and the lower bracingplate is so rigidly secured to the fixed structure by the cap nuts 43 onthe upper ends of the anchor screws.

It will thus be seen that the standard 21 is rigidly and firmly held inan upright position by a bracing frame 28 which includes a pair ofbracing plates 29 and 30 held in vertically spaced relation by fourcorner posts 37, or by ornamental members 41, if the posts are omitted.It will also be seen that the bracing plates are provided with apertures34 through which the standard extends, and that the apertures are ofsubstantially the same dimensions as the standard so that the bracingplates are disposed in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ofthe standard.

It will also be apparent that the bracing plates are of dished formhaving dependent flanges 33, the flanges holding the horizontal portion31 of the lower bracing plate above the slab 27 to which it is rigidlysecured, thereby facilitating the fastening of the corner posts to thelower bracing plate since room is provided for the heads of thesescrews. The dependent flange of the upper bracing plate serves toconceal the lower ends of the bolts 39. It will be understood that theflanges also serve to reinforce or strengthen the bracing plates.

It will also be apparent that the bosses and flanges on the bracingplates provide means for holding the ornamental members or scrolls 40and 41 against rotation relative to the bracing plates. It will furtherbe apparent that the pillar or column may be easily assembled at thesite of installation, since all components therefor are connected byscrews or bolts. The tubular structure 21 may be cut to size at the siteby means of a hack saw.

It will also be seen that the column or pillar can be easily removedmerely by unscrewing the cap nuts 43 and sliding the bracing frameupwardly on the structure after the cap 22 has been freed from theoverhead fixed struc ture.

In Figure 4 is shown a modified form of the column or pillar illustratedin Figures 1 to 3. The pillar 44 includes a tubular standard 45 having abracing frame 46 composed of a plurality of sections joined together tobe the same length as the standard. The bracing frame 46 includes upper,lower and intermediate bracing plates 47, 48 and 49, respectively, ofthe same construction as the plates 29 and 30 of the form justdescribed, and the upper plate is secured to the upper fixed structureby anchor screws 47a while the lower plate is secured to the lower fixedstructure by anchor screws 49a. The bracing frame includes corner posts51 and ornamental members or scrolls 52 fastened to the plates in themanner described in connection with the pillar shown in Figures 1 and 2.It will thus be apparent that the bracing frame of the pillar may be ofthe same length as the standard.

In Figure is shown another modified form of the pillar, wherein scrollconnecting plates 53 are provided which have suitable apertures throughwhich the posts 54 and the standard 55 may extend. Upper and lowerscrolls 56 and 57, respectively, may be secured to the connecting plateby bolts 58. The connecting plates may be advantageously enlarged inbracing frames of substantial length both for aesthetic reasons and alsoas additional bracing elements.

In Figure 6 another modified form of column or pillar is shown, whereintwo parallel standards 59 and 60 are employed. In this case, the bracingplates 61 are each provided with two spaced apertures through which thestandards extend. These bracing plates may also be connected by means ofcorner posts 62 or other ornamental members which are secured to thebracing plates by bolts or screws 63 in the manner already described.

In Figure 7 still another form of column or pillar is illustrated,wherein three standards 64, 65 and 66 are used. In this case the bracingplates 67 are substantially L-shaped and are provided with three spacedapertures through which the standards extend. These bracing plates may,of course, be provided with corner posts 68 or other ornamental members.The pillar construction shown in Figure 7 may be used where the pillarstands at a corner of a porch or veranda.

In Figure 8 is shown still another form of the column or pillar whereinthe bracing plates 69 are provided with four apertures through whichfour posts 70, 71, 72, and 73 extend.

It is believed manifest that the tubular standards may be of otherconfigurations than cylindrical; for example, square, polygonal or oval.

It will now be seen that several dilferent forms of columns or pillarshave been illustrated and described each of which includes at least onestandard and a bracing frame which includes vertically spaced flangedbracing plates connected together by corner posts or other ornamentalmembers, the standard extending through registering apertures in thebracing plates. It will also be seen that the lower bracing plate isanchored to a lower fixed structure to rigidly secure the lower end ofthe standard thereto and that the upper end of the standard may besecured to an upper fixed structure either by a cap 22 or by an upperbracing plate rigidly secured to such upper fixed structure. It willfurther be noted that the bosses and flanges on the bracing platesprovide means for preventing rotation of the ornamental members abouttheir longitudinal axes, whereby such members are positively held in thedesired ornamental or decorative position between the bracing plates.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, andchanges may be made in the constructions illustrated, within the scopeof the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A pillar including: at least one vertical support standard adapted toextend between an upper fixed structure and a lower fixed structure; anda bracing frame comprising a lower bracing plate adapted to be anchoredto said lower fixed structure, an upper bracing plate, said plateshaving registering apertures through which said standard extends, saidapertures of said plates being of substantially the same size as saidstandard, and a plurality of laterally separate vertical members spacedfrom and about said standard and between said upper and lower bracingplates, said vertical members having flat vertical surfaces, each ofsaid bracing plates comprising a horizontal portion and a continuousintegral peripheral flange extending substantially vertically from saidhorizontal portion, the flange of the lower bracing plate being adaptedto rest on said lower fixed structure, each of said bracing plateshaving a boss extending in the opposite direction to its flange, saidaperture extending through said boss, said boss of each bracing platehaving a plurality of rectilinear side faces extending substantiallyvertically upon the horizontal portion of said plate and spaceduniformly from the peripheral edge of said plate and engaged with theflat vertical surfaces of said vertical members to prevent rotativemovement of said vertical members about their vertical axes.

2. A pillar including: at least one vertical support standard adapted toextend between an upper fixed structure and a lower fixed structure; anda bracing frame comprising a lower bracing plate adapted to be anchoredto said lower fixed structure, an upper bracing plate, said plateshaving registering apertures through which said standard extends, saidapertures of said plates being of substantially the same size as saidstandard, and a plurality of laterally separate vertical members spacedfrom and about said standard and between said upper and lower bracingplates, said vertical members having flat vertical surfaces, each ofsaid bracing plates comprising a horizontal portion and a continuousintegral peripheral flange extending substantially vertically from saidhorizontal portion, the flange of the lower bracing plate being Iadapted to rest on said lower fixed structure, each of 5 to preventrotative movement of said vertical members about their vertical axes.

3. A pillar including: at least one vertical support standard adapted toextend between an upper fixed structure and a lower fixed structure; anda bracing frame comprising a lower bracing plate adapted to be anchoredto said lower fixed structure, an upper bracing plate, said plateshaving registering apertures through which said standard extends, saidapertures of said plates being of substantially the same size as saidstandard, and a plurality of laterally separate vertical members spacedfrom and about said standard and between said upper and lower bracingplates, said vertical members having flat vertical surfaces, each ofsaid bracing pl'ates comprising a horizontal portion and a continuousintegral peripheral flange extending substantially vertically from saidhorizontal portion, the flange of the lower bracing plate being adaptedto rest on said lower fixed structure, each of said plates having a bossextending in the opposite direction to its flange, said boss having aplurality of rectilinear side faces extending substantially verticallyfrom the horizontal portion of said bracing plate and spaced uniformlyfrom the peripheral edge of said plate, said aperture extending throughsaid boss; said vertical members including posts and ornamental scrollsconnected to said bracing plates, each of said scrolls being disposedbetween a pair of adjacent posts, the rectilinear side faces of saidboss of said lower bracing plates and said flange of said upper bracingplate engaged with the flat vertical surfaces of said vertical membersto prevent rotative movement of said vertical members about theirvertical axes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

